Tuesday, 28 August 2012

Officials with Lamar Advertising say they are working to remove the message as soon as possible.

The
vandalism appears to have occurred sometime Friday evening or Saturday
morning on a billboard facing I-85 North near Bessemer City.Jarrett Gates, an account executive with Lamar Advertising,
said he received an email about 7 a.m. Monday from Pastor Tim Barrett of
Christ Worship Center in Gaston County.

Barrett asked Gates to
look into the vandalism as soon as possible, writing, “It must be very
offensive to anyone who is from Mexico, and it’s very offensive to me as
well."

The billboard in question is fairly low to the ground, which may have made it easier for vandals to climb onto it, Gates said.Less than a month ago, another Lamar billboard in Albemarle was spray-painted with “KKK,” he said.

“I just get so sick of things like this,” Gates said.

The defaced I-85 billboard will be replaced with an advertisement from Comfort Suites, according to Lamar Advertising.